Dr. Brown will examine the scriptural basis for some major doctrinal controversies, answers your e-questions, and takes your calls. Listen live here 2-4 pm EST, and call into the show at (866) 348 7884 with your questions and comments!
Hour 1:
Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: We only have one life to live. Let’s sit back and ask ourselves, “How should I be living, and what should I be giving my time to? And as far as the Word and the truth, should I be living in the mainstream or off in some distant shore?”
Hour 2:
Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: It’s easy to criticize. It’s easy to find fault with them, and the people out there. Let’s look in the mirror and say, “God, I want to please you and live a life that changes this world. Start with me!”
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Dear Dr. Brown,
What is your personal view concerning the Torah on its prescription for maintaining ritual purity for women concerning “niddah” in light of New Testament scriptures. I am particularly concerned with period of physical separation of sleeping in separate beds that should/should not be practiced.
May God bless you and your ministry richly In Yeshua’s Holy Name.
Bijoy.
Bijoy,
Have you considered the following passages as applying?
Is this about possessing our wives in the marriage bed? Do we defraud our brothers when we carry uncleanness into the congregation?
1 Thessalonians 4
1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel (wife) in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Did Paul write this:
2 Corinthians 6
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Chapter 7
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
And this:
2 Corinthians 12
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
Because of this:
1 Corinthians 7
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Is Peter referring to knowledge about the law separation?
1 Peter 3
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Does the vanity of our minds go against the laws of nida?
Ephesians 4
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Ephesians 5
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Leviticus 20
18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
Numbers 15
30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Hebrews 10
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Presumptuous sinning/continuing to sin willfully seems to cause a cutting off whether we are home born of strangers. Wrath comes upon the children of disobedience.
Shalom
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins
As Bo above mentioned, how is willfully sinning defined as?
Dear Bo,
Greatly appreciate the scriptures. However, I would like to clarify that my wife and I do observe the laws of Niddah, by not only abstaining from physical intimacy but also sleeping in separate beds for the entire 12 – 14 days.
My initial question to Dr. Brown was to ascertain whether going to the extent of sleeping in separate beds is legalism or not in light of the New Testament scriptures? We do know that one needs to abstain from physical intimacy from one’s wife during her time of Niddah as per Torah.
God bless you.
in Yeshua’s Holy Name.
Bijoy.
joshua,
Disobeying once you know the truth.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but /only/ the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’
23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’
heaven.
The Father’s word it truth. The law is part of the Father’s word. The Father’s law is the Father’s will. It is breaking the law to disobey. To know and not obey is willfully sinning. Grace does not cover willfull sin. We must repent and bring forth fruit fitting for repentance.
Mat. 7
17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
Shalom
Bijoy, if the Lord has laid these practices on your heart, it’s not legalism; otherwise, it could well be. Also, I do not read the text in Lev in accordance with rabbinic tradition (12-14 days) but rather to mean roughly 7 days (or whatever the actual length of the period).
For newcomers here, I categorically differ with Bo’s argument that all believers (Jew and Gentile) are required by God to observe the Torah, but we’ve had that discussion many times in the past and won’t have it again here.
Here’s the link to my open letter to Mark Potok that I read in part on the air today: http://www.voiceofrevolution.com/2012/08/21/an-open-letter-to-mark-potok-spokesman-for-the-splc-from-dr-michael-brown/?fb_action_ids=10150982809645685&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
Advocates of particular errors come to the Bible with a fallible,false FRAMEWORK (with its various ‘articles of faith’),that they are not prepared to be corrected of ; the false, fallible,man-made framework has become the HEAD – infallible,God-breathed Holy Scripture,the TAIL. Furthermore,with every passing year,the longer a believer holds fast to that false framework,the more pride and self-interest prevents them from changing their mind. (That is true of both ‘Calvinists’ and ‘Arminians’.)
Here is a quote from Luther that reveals the all-too-common,heresy-building problem ; a problem not exclusive to the ‘Reformed’ camp,but one that is common to all denominations ; indeed,this framework problem actually serves to erect a fence/wineskin around those who do it. (Luther is not alone in coming to the Bible with preconceptions/misconceptions ; not alone in constructing a FRAMEWORK/MOLD/WINESKIN from those concepts ; into which Holy Scripture is then SUBJECTIVELY poured.)
‘I have often said that whoever would study Holy Scripture should be sure….he stays with the simple words…unless an article of faith compels him to understand them differently.’ ( I found this quote in ‘The Answers Book’ of all places – a book about creation : Chapter 2.)
It is a shame Luther never seriously considered if the fault was actually with his ‘article of faith’ rather than with the plain message of ‘the simple words’ of God ; rather than correcting his understanding of the narrow Way,he adjusted the meaning of Holy Scripture. For Luther,the (distorted,ONE-SIDED) Augustinian ‘article of faith’ was the HEAD,Holy Scripture the TAIL.
SECONDLY,errors start to form when one side of the Bible coin is subjected to the other ; when one side is given more emphasis and weight than the other ; when one side becomes the HEAD,the other the Tail. Giving EQUAL importance,regard,and WEIGHT to both sides of the coin,and holding them in tension together,can mean certain aspects of the narrow Way may at first seem paradoxically taught in Holy Scripture (in some cases,they may remain a puzzling paradox until Messiah Jesus returns) – but so be it. For example,yes,Jesus said (refering to His disciples) ‘no one will snatch them out of My hand’ – true enough,but He also said ‘if anyone does not abide [remain] in Me,he is thrown away as a branch [the branch/diciple is THROWN AWAY mind you,not merely his fruit,as advocates of OSAS and POTS subjectively try to claim]…’ For those with an OBJECTIVE approach to Holy Scripture,there is no paradox in that one ; just a rock solid promise to those who indeed remain in Him.
A well-rounded,WEIGHTY (outside the box/wineskin) understanding of the narrow Way comes from OBJECTIVE personal study of Holy Scripture ; outside of those INSPIRED words,some books (like bricks) collectively serve to build a fallible but robust defence against some of the (sincere or insincere) SUBJECTIVE misconceptions that have arisen over the last 1900 years. Everything written in that collection (indeed in any book about the narrow Way) must be tested by Holy Scripture,by God’s TRUTH – not men’s (well-intentioned,but) UNINSPIRED wineskins ; above all,by the words of the One Teacher – Messiah Jesus (Matthew 23:8). One side of the INSPIRED Bible coin (so to speak) can lead to legalism or license – it takes BOTH sides of the TRUTH to properly nourish and equip a Second Covenant soldier of Messiah Jesus.
(The Bible coin : Matthew 4:5-6/Matthew 4:7 ; Galatians 3:15-18/Hebrews 8:8 ; John 3:17/Acts 10:42 ; John 3:16/Luke 13:3 ; Mark 8:12/Hebrews 2:4 ; John 6:37/Luke 14:26 ; Matthew 11: 30/ Luke 14:25-35 ; Acts 2:38/Acts 19:2 ; 1 Corinthians 14:18,26-33/1 Corinthians 14:19,40 ; Titus 3:5/Ephesians 2:10 ; John 1:17/Matthew 28:20 ; Matthew 7:1-5/1 Corinthians 5:9-13 ; John 10:11/John 12:24 ; John 10:10/1 Corinthians 5:14-15 ; Matthew 25:31-46 / Revelation 20:1-10 ; 1 Thessalonians 1:10/Revelation 6:9-11 ; 1 John 1:6-9/Hebrews 10:26-31 ; Romans 8:11/John 15:6 ; Romans 8:30/Romans 11:11,19-22 ; 1 John 4:18/1 Peter 1:17 – and so on.)
The number one tool for avoiding error in Bible study is not knowledge in Greek,Hebrew or Aramaic (and not any man-made wineskin diplomas) ; the number one tool is OBJECTIVITY. No misconceptions or preconceptions must ever become sacrosanct ; they must never become a FRAMEWORK/mold/wineskin into which Holy Scripture is subjectively poured. BOTH SIDES of the coin must be given equal weight.
Objectivity ; lack of pre and misconceptions that become a framework ; both sides of the coin.
Bijoy,
I am with Dr. Brown on the time frame, but think that YHWH has laid it upon our hearts by virtue of including it in scripture. If you are obeying the law to gain salvation, it won’t work. I do not think that ignoring the law is a fruit of the Spirit.
Shalom
In this show Michael talked about a range of classic hindrances to getting within a stone’s throw of plumb truth (!) – e.g. baby out with bathwater ; overreacting against something,and going to the opposite extreme ; giving more weight to one verse that points one way,than 100 that point the other ; building a pet doctrine on one or a handful of verses,a doctrine that runs contrary to the TENOR of Holy Scripture,contrary to the other 30,000 verses – and so on.
Michael,if possible,over the next few days or weeks,could you jot down different maistakes as you think of them,and then,please product a free article going through them one by one.
That would be a VERY HELPFUL article for your listeners ; indeed,one they could then use as a resource to send hyperlinks to the article,to people they know online,thereafter.
Bijoy, When we fully understand the commandment it is joy to obey it. This is one you can fully understand and confidently pursue. Leviticus 15:20 and following is the Torah command. What is the New Testament passage you were thinking of?